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Herald Reporters
Zanu-PF provincial coordinating committees (PCCs) have started meeting to discuss guidelines and criteria of selecting leaders of the Veterans of Liberation Struggle (VLS) wing in line with the 2019 party conference resolutions.
Most provinces have met while others are yet to meet.
Zanu-PF director for communications Cde Tafadzwa Mugwadi confirmed the development saying the process was ongoing.
“The PCCs are still ongoing. They are happening at different levels, the youths are doing theirs and the women’s league is also meeting.
“The party resolved to come up with a veterans league. But the structures on the ground have not yet been put in place. The purpose of the ongoing PCCs is to explain the guidelines and criteria of selecting the veterans league.”
Cde Mugwadi said the veterans league is composed of cadres who were undergoing training at the time of independence for the purpose of partaking in the war, those who were refugees, ex-combatants, war collaborators, and ex-detainees.
In Mashonaland West, ZANU-PF members were warned against meddling in the current party’s Veterans of the Liberation Struggle (VLS) wing’s restructuring exercise which seeks to formulate district, provincial and national leadership.
The remarks were made by the party’s Mashonaland West main league chair, Cde Mary Mliswa-Chikoka to members of the provincial coordinating committee (PCC) yesterday, during a meeting to come up with ways for successful (VLS) elections slated for end of this month.
Cde Mliswa-Chikoka who said the structure’s positions were only open to war veterans, collaborators and detainees, warned non-war veterans against meddling into the impending election.
“Keep off veterans’ politics. Stop requesting money from them to offer campaign support but, rather, give them assistance so that the process runs smoothly,” she said.
It was outlined during the meeting that out of the 40 positions to be contested at district level; chairman, secretary for commissariat and security were only open to war veterans.
The Zanu-PF Provincial Coordinating Committee for Matabeleland South met yesterday in Gwanda.
Matabeleland South provincial chairman Cde Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu said the PCC had resolved to deploy teams to begin registration of war veterans as internal elections will be coming up soon.
“This was a special PCC as we needed to highlight the guidelines for the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle structures. We assigned people to go back to the districts to notify our members and begin registration. It’s a process and we hope to be done with the registration process by the end of July,” said Cde Ndlovu.
He said once the registration process was complete, elections will start from district level.
“We’ll start with district elections, followed by provincial elections and that process will lead to the national elections,” said Cde Ndlovu.
In the Midlands province, six Zanu-PF candidates vying for the Gokwe-Kabuyuni national assembly seat successfully submitted their curriculum vitaes to the PCC on Saturday and they now await the national electorate directorate’s approval.
The candidates declared their interests to represent the party on the parliamentary seat which was left vacant following the death of Cde Leonard Chikomba in a car accident in May this year.
The six are Cdes, Layton Ncube, Jabulani Mandla, Manager Mkuli, Spencer Tshuma, Tapera Nyoni and Tagwireyi.
ZANU PF Midlands provincial chairman Cde Larry Mavhima implored party cadres to put their hands on the deck and ensure the party’s victory ahead of the primary elections.
“We are a tried and tested revolutionary party. Let’s create teams on the ground that will visit district by district and mobilise voters to make our President proud as we enter this by-election. Cdes it’s time we show the people of Zimbabwe that we have been in this game for a while now and we need to play our part in ensuring that this victory is certain.”
The ZANU PF Midlands provincial leadership is also on an outreach programme where it is mobilising and assisting party cadres to register to vote as they are geared to make a mark towards the party’s target of five million votes in 2023 general elections.
In Mashonaland East Province, the party’s provincial executive led by Provincial chairman Cde Daniel Garwe met in Marondera where they agreed to render the needed support to make sure the elections of the structures of the Veterans League are conducted smoothly.
“Veterans of the Liberation Struggle election will start from the district level, then to provincial level. I implore all the party members to give all the support to our war veterans and make sure this wing conducts elections smoothly.
“We must give them all the necessary resources to them and ensure their elections are conducted without any problems, they should be conducted peacefully. We need all of us to be united for the party and give support to this wing, we should welcome them and work with them as we mobilise support for the party,” he said.
Cde Garwe also thanked the party structures in the province for working in unity and urged every member to work towards mobilising more voters for the ruling party ahead of the 2023 elections.
Provincial Secretary for Administration Cde Felix Mhona then read the guidelines which are supposed to be followed during the elections.
In Manicaland Cde Mike Madiro hailed the setting up of the Veterans of Liberation Struggle wing structures saying the move will strengthen the party ahead of the general election next year.
Cde Madiro called for unity and peace within the party.
Speaking during the same meeting, Cde Patrick Chinamasa underscored the need to value the veterans league.
In Mashonaland Central Zanu-PF provincial chairman Cde Kazembe Kazembe urged the veterans to set up structures of the veterans league. He said the message should cascade to all levels so that all members appreciate the latest development.
He also encouraged party members to register to vote in next year’s general election.
In Masvingo, the PCC met to discuss the modalities of setting up the VLS wing.
The leadership said there was need to raise awareness on the new wing and to support the members during their election.
Provincial Affairs Minister Cde Ezra Chadzamira emphasised on the importance of coordination between Government and the ruling party for development.
Online Reporter